A conventional database system often includes at least one processor and different types of memory. The memory typically includes a shorter-term memory, such as random access memory, and a longer-term memory, such as a hard drive. The operating speeds of the processor and random access memory have increased dramatically in recent years, allowing the processor to perform operations faster and the random access memory to store and retrieve information more quickly. In contrast, the platters forming the hard drive have been getting larger, which has slowed the speed of input-output (“IO”) operations involving the hard drive.